I was reminded today of something that is very important to me. Like most humans, I forget what is important. I get caught up in life, and that makes it difficult to keep your eye on the ultimate prize.

I went into the office of my boss today and asked about the progress of a position that was rumored to be opened. My boss – whom is one of the best people I have ever had mentor me – pulled me in and closed the door and told me something very important:

In The End – It Doesn’t Matter

Now, these words never came out of his mouth. But he sat me down and asked about my wife, asked how life is outside of work and a few other questions, which at the time I thought he was stalling. Then told me the status of the position, and that status wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear. But then he told me to keep my eye on the prize, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, enjoy the experience and soak in all you can. He was directly talking about the position, and at first, I didn’t really hear him through my anger about not getting my way with the position I wanted.

As I was tackling my long commute home (I commute about 70 minutes each way – which I actually love because my best reflection time is in my car), I replayed our conversation over and over in my head, as I often do with every interaction that I have in the world. And literally, in a moment of clarity, the words my boss has said to me made perfect sense – outside the context of the position.

In The End – It Doesn’t Matter

In The End – It Doesn’t Matter about the job you worked. It doesn’t matter about the salary you had. In The End – It Doesn’t Matter what car you drove. IIn The End – It Doesn’t Matter what brand you sport. In The End – It Doesn’t Matter the size of the house you live in. In The End – It Doesn’t Matter, it just doesn’t matter. The result of life is the same for all of us, regardless of our situation.

Homeless or million dollar mansion.

$7.50 an hour or 750,000k + bonus salary.

Range Rover or ’88 Accord.

VP of Channel Partnerships or customer service representative.

It just doesn’t matter. My dad – who is still the smartest man I know – has always said something that will always stick with me: Life is the same for everyone – no one gets out alive. In the end, it doesn’t matter, because no one gets out alive.

I know that is a bit of a morbid thought to some, but it should energize you. It should give you the motivation to go out and live the life you want. Because in the end, it doesn’t matter. You can go out, and fail, lose all your money or make a million dollars and guess what? It doesn’t matter.

Yes, you probably need a job to make money to be able to pay the mortgage. That is life. And life is worth living comfortably, so working to have a house, care and other items is nice – but keep it in perspective.

But is it critical that you didn’t close that one last sale, or please that one account? No – because in the end, it doesn’t matter.

Is it critical that you didn’t get that A on that test or didn’t pass that class and have to retake it? No – because in the end it doesn’t matter.

Is it critical to get that promotion to have a cool title and more work? No – because in the end, it doesn’t matter.

My conversation with my boss goes even deeper.

“keep my eye on the prize, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, enjoy the experience and soak in all you can”

Words to live by. This may have been about this particular position, but it also means so much more when put into context of living.

Keep your eye on the prize. What is your prize? Why do you do what you do? Answer that question, and keep your eye on that answer.

Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. What you are doing is such a small drop of water in an ocean. Keep your life in perspective and don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.

Enjoy the experience. If cars, houses, jobs, money and all that doesn’t matter – then what does? Your experiences. Your life experiences is what matters, so you may as well enjoy every single one and every single moment.

Soak in all you can. Don’t miss the small moments. Life is about experiences. Experience a hug from our wife. Experience a kiss from your daughter. Experience a good story from your grandpapa. Enjoy a lunch with your mother. Enjoy a drink with a good friend. Soak in all you can of life, because at some point, all these experiences will be gone in some form.

Take away point: Live life. Because in the end, life is all we have. The rest doesn’t matter.

To Your Life –

Z